Cablegram 238 LONDON, 9 August 1947, 9.05 p.m.
MOST IMMEDIATE SECRET
Bevin’s reaction to suggestion that United Kingdom should be one of proposed Arbitration Panel of Three [1] is based on history of attempts to stop hostilities in Indonesia in past three weeks.
2. Bevin said that Dutch had declined United Kingdom’s offer of mediation then Americans had been very cool about United Kingdom effort to get joint arbitration which accordingly failed, when Americans without letting United Kingdom know in advance had arranged with Dutch to undertake arbitration alone. Therefore United Kingdom did not feel it could [encouraged] [2] proposal which amounted to its offering its services again. If however Dutch and Indonesians and/or Security Council asked for United Kingdom participation in tripartite arbitration Government would consider request promptly. But it certainly did not feel like taking positive action along lines suggested.
3. From Bevin’s reactions I get impression that United Kingdom Government would probably feel bound to accept invitation from both parties and/or the Security Council but that it [is] most unlikely that it will do anything towards promoting it.
_
1 See Document 264.
2 The cited copy reads ‘be known that’.
_
[AA:A1838/274, 854/10/4, ii]